TalkingBoxing Interviews

07.24.2003

Give This Guy A Title Fight
Why Can't Michael Clark Get Any Love?
by Julius Stecker
      If you are sitting around on a Friday Night, you may tune in to ESPN2 to watch some good old fashioned Friday Night Fights. If you ever listen to the commentary, you will often hear Teddy Atlas say, "This guy is a pro, he does things the right way, he is a real professional." One of these guys he is referring to is the smooth boxing NABF Lightweight Champion, Michael Clark. Michael Clark is what boxing is all about, a fighter, nothing more, nothing less. He wins, and fights people anytime, and in anyplace known to man. If you don't believe me you should listen to his manager Pat Nelson talk. "Clark outclassed Gary Balletto is his home area, beat Steve Quinonez in his home area, he moved up in weight to fight Vivian Harris and he took him the distance, and he had Artur Grigorjan down in the 3rd round in their fight for the WBO Title, and he was stopped on a controversial stoppage in Germany."

      After listening to Nelson I have to agree with what he says, Clark just fights anybody, a throwback of sorts, he is not the guy you will here about in a Pay Per View extravaganza, just a guy who fights the best people he can, wherever he can.

      Nelson indicated to me, "we want Floyd Mayweather Jr, and we want him on the weekend of the Ohio State-Michigan College Football game, that would be a great promotion, Michael is from Ohio, and Floyd from Michigan so this match up is a natural." To me this sounds like a reasonably good promotion that would sell tickets, fans know by now that Mayweather is not the biggest attraction in the boxing world at this moment and Bob Arum could use a promotion like this to sell the fight.

      Clark deserves a title shot, he is a natural lightweight and he had an excellent amateur background, and he also has a 31-2 record and his only loses were to two world class fighters, both were fought in unfavorable situations and Clark gave a good account of himself in both loses. If the Mayweather fight falls through there are other option at least according to Nelson, he said, "A world title is a priority, we should be fighting for the vacant IBF title anyways, Michael beat Levander Johnson and he is fighting for the vacant title soon." I can not argue with that, Clark does deserve a shot, and if Bob Arum is listening, why not. Clark is a pro, and he will always give a good account of himself if given the opportunity, and who knows he may even shock the world if he is given the chance, but he has to be given that chance first.

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